Get to know Quito with a tour of the city and its surroundings. You’ll visit the bohemian neighborhood of Guápulo, characterized by its local artisans and cobblestone streets, before heading to the Mitad del Mundo, where the equator is marked. Straddling the line, you’ll be in two hemispheres at once! Conclude with a visit to the city center, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its multitude of historical buildings.

In the morning you’ll be transferred to the airport for your flight to the Galapagos. Upon arrival in Baltra, 600 miles from the mainland, you will connect to another flight direct to Isabela Island (you can leave extra luggage on Santa Cruz Island if you need to). Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide and transferred to Scalesia Lodge for lunch. Afterwards you will set out to visit the National Park, wetland lagoons, and the giant tortoise breeding center. Enjoy the evening at the white sand beach of Villamil before returning to the lodge for dinner.

Enjoy an early breakfast before setting out to explore Isabela Island and its most impressive site, the Sierra Negra Volcano. Walk along the rim of the world’s second largest caldera where you will see the impact of recent volcanic activity on the land. Lunch is served back at the lodge and then you can spend the afternoon relaxing at Puerto Villamil beach.

Today you will further explore the National Park and the Marine Reserve, each with their own unique features. After breakfast, we will head first to Tintoreras, a small group of islets only reachable by boat where you can observe reef sharks in their natural habitat, intertidal organisms, marine iguanas, and a colony of Galapagos penguins. After lunch back at the lodge, you will have the opportunity to explore the history of Isabela Island at the visitor site at the Wall of Tears, which was constructed by prisoners who were sent to the penal colony here.

After breakfast, you will take a short flight back to Baltra where you will board Sea Lion Yacht for a short cruise to North Seymour Island. At this unforgettable landscape of white sand, prickly pears and lava boulders, you will see Galapagos sea lions, fur seals, Blue-Footed Boobies and Frigate Birds. Lunch will be served aboard the yacht. Next up is a short cruise to Itabaca Channel, then a drive across the island to Puerto Ayora, and finally a brief dinghy ride to take you to Finch Bay Eco Hotel, set among the mangroves.

In the morning, travel into the lush highlands of Santa Cruz Island. Your first visit of the day is to Manzanillo, on the edge of the Giant Tortoise Reserve. Here you can see these famous creatures in their natural habitat, grazing on the surrounding vegetation or wallowing in mud pools and ponds. You will also see various species of endemic vegetation and birds. Take in the view over the island while you enjoy lunch, before visiting an organic farm where coffee, sugar cane and cocoa beans are grown, harvested and prepared in line with sustainable practices.

Board the yacht again this morning for your day-long exploration of Santa Fe Island. A small islet off the coast of Santa Cruz, this island boasts white sandy beaches and turquoise lagoons. You will land among a sea lion colony and take a hike through prickly pear cactus forests, spotting land iguanas and Galapagos hawks along the way. Your will also have time to snorkel in the clear waters of the bay, seeing a variety of tropical fish and other sea life.

After breakfast, we leave for Tortuga Bay to explore and understand more about the arid zone’s deciduous forest and its inhabitants. Walking along the long snow-white beach, you will pass a seasonal nesting site of green sea turtles and reach a secluded natural mangrove cove, with clear waters ideal for swimming and snorkeling. Spend the afternoon at the Charles Darwin Research Center, learning more about the archipelago’s endemic species and the conservation efforts in place to preserve this unique area.

Enjoy your final breakfast on the islands before transferring to the Baltra Island airport for your flight to mainland Ecuador, where you’ll connect with your international flight home.